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For much of the sports world, their focus has shifted ahead several months to this summer’s Fifa World Cup in Brazil. The biggest sporting event in the world comes only once every four years, so it’s only natural that the hype for Brazil 2014 is off the charts—even as we’re still in the depths of winter.

At sports sites ranging from personal blogs run by fans to , there is already extensive coverage of the World Cup. This includes analysis of the draw, predictions for various teams, and more. The prediction mill only figures to heat up the closer we get to the actual event, and it will keep fans engaged until then.

In the world of gaming, the hype is high as well. In fact, FIFA 14 is topping all major console game sales throughout the UK for several months now, as noted by Metro. It’s always popular, but the FIFA series is getting a boost because this release coincides with the World Cup. The attention being paid to the event is evident elsewhere, too, including the online gambling world. At the Betfair Casino, there are games modeled after soccer and there’s even one specifically World Cup-themed. It’s “World Cup Heroes 2,” a game that both highlights the super-popular event and allows you to win some cash if luck is on your side.

As you can tell, excitement for World Cup 2014 is rampant and it will only figures intensify as we approach the event. But for sports fans interested in international competition, there’s actually something to pay attention to long before the World Cup arrives: the 2014 Winter Olympics kick off in Sochi on February 7th, and should include some truly spectacular international sports competitions.

The Winter Olympics appeal to more of a niche audience than the Summer Olympics, or even the World Cup, but this year there’s something that any fan can appreciate. That’s particularly true for those who appreciate reggae and its roots in Jamaican culture, because the Jamaicans are sending a bobsleigh team to the Winter Olympics!

Qualifying for the first time since 2002, the Jamaican team will compete in the two-man bobsleigh event, largely thanks to massive financial support from fans. As written by Today.com, the Jamaican team will benefit from over $120,000 (or £72,498.84) raised online through fan donations and support. The team, which features veteran bobsleigh competitors Wayne Blackwood and Marvin Dixon, has trained hard for the last four years to end Jamaica’s drought in the Winter Olympic event. They will use the funds they raised to cover training costs, among other things.

For those unaware of the significance of this event or wondering why so many fans financially back a two-man bobsleigh team, much of the excitement dates back to the 1993 film Cool Runnings. It offered a goofy and fact-based look at the first-ever Jamaican bobsleigh team to qualify for the Winter Olympics. Cool Runnings became an immensely popular film, and even a “cult favourite” among certain audiences. It also turned the idea of a Jamaican bobsleigh team into something that an entire generation of fans can appreciate.

If you like to watch sports and consider yourself a fan of Jamaican culture—through reggae music or otherwise—you have something to tune into well in advance of the 2014 World Cup. Check out the Sochi Winter Olympics and cheer on that Jamaican bobsleigh team!